1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of this invention relate generally to the transport of objects between various manufacturing process steps, and in particular embodiments to methods for the substantially touchless hydrodynamic transport of objects between manufacturing process steps, and systems incorporating the same.
2. Description of Related Art
Modern manufacturing methods often require a number of processing steps to be performed on an object to transform or prepare the object into a finished product. Even after the object has been fabricated, cleaning steps may be required to remove residue and contaminants such as particulates, organics, and inorganics collected during processing. For example, in conventional magnetic recording media processing techniques a slurry is applied to texture the surface of the magnetic media. This slurry must subsequently be removed, often by mechanically scrubbing the magnetic recording media using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) rollers. Several cleaning steps may be required, because magnetic recording media often requires particle removal efficiencies as small as 0.3 microns, and inorganic/organic particulate levels as low as 1.times.10.sup.10 atoms/cm.sup.2.
Careful handling is essential as these fragile objects are transported between process steps. Conventional techniques employed for transporting delicate objects such as semiconductor wafers and magnetic recording media between process stations may require both mechanical and human intervention. This intervention creates a number of potential problems. Once the object completes a processing step, it is loaded into a transportation cassette, carried by process operators to the next processing station, and unloaded from the cassette. Such techniques increase the chance of frictional wear and damage to the object as it comes into contact with the cassettes and human hands, and increases the chance of breakage of the object due to dropping or other mishandling. Contaminants may also be introduced during the handling and transportation process. No processing steps can be performed during the manual transportation process, making it a non-value-added manufacturing step. Manual transportation techniques also may be slower due to the lack of automation and required human intervention, and may be costlier due to the employment of process operators.